WASHINGTON  The Federal Reserve on Tuesday made available a new set of online interactive maps designed to provide a clearer, more localized view of where problem mortgages are.

The maps, maintained by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, will be updated monthly. They provide a local look at conditions for the two categories of mortgage loans that are most in distress: subprime and alt-A mortgage loans.

The Federal Reserve hopes that by providing online access to maps and data about non-prime mortgages down to levels as specific as ZIP codes, it'll be easier to identify potential and current problem spots for foreclosures.